M4 Max Takes the Lead Over Intel Ultra 9 285K, Outshining by 17% in Single-Core and Nearly 16% in Multi-Core Performance

Apple recently introduced the new M4 MacBook Pro models, and the M4 Pro and M4 Max chips have impressed with their outstanding performance ratios when compared to both prior models and leading competitors. In a recent comparison video, YouTuber Vadim Yuryev from Max Tech pits the M4 Pro and M4 Max chips against the Intel Ultra 9 285K and AMD Ryzen 9950X. Apple has evidently achieved an impressive feat in engineering, delivering substantial computational and graphics improvements.

Apple’s M4 Pro and M4 Max Chips: Outperforming Intel and AMD in Benchmarking Tests

In initial Geekbench 6 testing, the M4 Pro chip showed remarkable performance, surpassing previous Apple flagship processors. The system-on-chip (SoC) achieved a single-core score of 3,925, while Intel’s Ultra 9 285K followed with 3,450, and AMD’s Ryzen 9 9950X came in at 3,359. It’s worth noting that Intel and AMD’s chips are clocked at 5.7GHz, while the M4 Pro is set at a clock speed of 4.5GHz.

For multi-core results, the 14-core M4 Pro also outperformed Apple’s M2 Ultra chip with a score of 22,669. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285K narrowly surpassed it with 23,024, while the Ryzen 9 9950X came in lower with 20,183. These strong multi-core scores underline the impressive performance gains Apple has made with the M4 Pro compared to competing products, although the real-world performance could vary. Regardless, having this level of power in a 14-inch MacBook Pro is nothing short of astounding.

Alongside the M4 Pro, Apple also launched the M4 Max chip, which retains the same core count as the previous M3 Max chip. However, Apple has employed some creative engineering to enhance the performance even further. In single-core benchmarks, the M4 Max exceeded 4,000 points, slightly higher than the M4 Pro. Both Intel’s Ultra 9 285K and AMD’s Ryzen 9 9950X lagged considerably behind the M4 Max. The M4 Max clock speed aligns with the M4 Pro, running at 4.51GHz.

Multi-Core Results Favor M4 Max, Leaving Intel and AMD Behind

The multi-core results reveal an impressive advantage for the M4 Max, which scored 26,675, compared to Intel’s Ultra 9 285K at 23,024 and AMD’s Ryzen 9 9950X at 20,550. It’s important to consider that Intel’s chip has a 24-core CPU and AMD’s has a 16-core CPU, while Apple’s M4 Max operates with a 14-core CPU. Apple asserts that its latest chips possess the world’s fastest cores, though real-world performance testing will reveal the full extent of this claim.

Graphics Performance: A New Standard with M4 Max’s GPU

When it comes to graphics benchmarks, the M4 Pro with a 20-core GPU scored 111,119, which is about half of the M2 Ultra chip’s 72-core GPU performance. However, the M4 Max with a 40-core GPU reached an impressive 192,532, marking a 25% improvement over the M3 Max with the same GPU core count. This performance brings the M4 Max nearly on par with the M2 Ultra, which uses a 76-core GPU.

Apple has certainly set a new standard with the M4 series chips, surpassing the capabilities of both competitors and previous flagship models. With expectations building for the M4 Ultra chip’s debut in the Mac Studio and Mac Pro next year, we’ll continue tracking developments closely.